Motorcycle windshield



April 3, 1954 A. "r. COMISKEY, SR 2,675,266

MOTORCYCLE WINDSHIELD 7 Filed Nov. 12. 1948 INVENTOR.

JWM find randwan ATTORN EYS ANTHONY THOMAS COMISKEY 5R.

Patented Apr. 13, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTORCYCLE WINDSHIELD Anthony T. Comiskey, Sn, Chicago, Ill.

Application November 12, 1948, Serial No. 59,557

4 Claims. (01. 296--78.1)

This invention relates, in general, to a motorcycle windshield, and more particularly to the structural framework arrangement for supporting such motorcycle windshield.

A desirable type of motorcycle windshield comprises a sheet of flexible, transparent material, shaped in a somewhat arcuate, streamlined fashion and adapted to be mounted forward of the operator in a shielding manner.

Although such windshield construction is old in the art, the use of such windshield has been somewhat restricted, prior to my patent Reissue #23,039, issued September 21, 1948, for lack of a suitable supporting framework structure or, in

the event of the provision of a framework designed to offer the required strength and. rigidity, the size of the framework members and their location has generally been such as to materially impair and reduce the range of. vision of the vehicle operator, and to produce a heavy or objectionably massive appearance.

Additionally, in use of the normal type windshield, the vision of the operator during operation has been further hampered by the blinding rays which are normally reflected from the road surfacesthrough the windshield to the operator. As a result of such construction, the Windshields have generally not been adequate for their designed purpose.

The object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of a windshield of the subject type which isof an adequately sturdy, rugged construction, of neat appearance, and which comprises a structural framework arrangement which eliminates the disadvantages inherent in most older motorcycle windshield structures.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification, accompanying drawing, and claims.

In the drawing,

Fig, 1 is a perspective View of the windshield attached to a motorcycle handlebar structure,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary illustration of another manner in which the windshield may be attached to a motorcycle handlebar structure.

Fig. 3 is a detailed illustration of the clamping means for attaching the windshield to the handlebars.

Figs.4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary views illustrating various details of the windshield construction.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a motorcycle handlebar construction of the braced type, which comprises a main tubular member I, beat to a more or less U shape, and which is provided at the approximate midpoint of its base portion with means, in the form of a centrally located apertured lug 2, for securing the handlebar structure to the front wheel fork of a motorcycle. The side arms 3 of the handlebar have their free ends provided with grips 4 which are usually of rubber or other suitable material.

In one modification of the motorcycle handlebar structure, a transversely extending tube 5 is fixedly mounted across the lower segment of the U-shaped member I substantially as shown in Fig. 1. In a second modification, such as shown at Fig. 2, the transverse member is eliminated by the provision of a material which will effect a U -shaped member suiflciently rigid in itself for handlebar purposes.

The main windshield member 6 comprises a curved, horizontally arcuate streamlined shaped screen which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises a pair of transparent sheets, 1 and 8, of flexible plastic material, joined by suitable frame supporting members 9 and II]. It is to be understood that the screen could likewise comprise a single sheet of flexible plastic material formed to the illustrated contour and supported in the manner of the invention.

A pair of suitably arched, shield conforming, metal bracing members 9 and II], which are the principal support members of the novel framework, are also effective to join the individual sections 1 and 8 of the windshield. The individual sections I and =8 are supported between the arched members 9 and Ill with the lower edge of the upper transparent member I terminating adjacent the lower edges of the arched members 9 and Ill and the upper edge of the lower transparent member 8 terminating adjacent the upper edge of the arched members 9 and In. A rigid joining of the individual over lapping shield segments I and 8 is effected by means of a plurality of bolt and nut assemblies H which extend through the ends and center of the arched members 9 and ID and the overlapping portions of the transparent members I and 8 therebetween. The said bolt and nut assemblies comprise hexagonal head nuts I2 and screws or bolts l3.

The split-type windshield 6 may be comprised of any suitable flexible plastic material. However, in the preferred embodiment, the upper sec tion 1 comprises transparent, flexible sheeting having polarizing characteristics which effectively prevent objectionable, blinding light rays from reaching the motorcycle operator. Use of such 3 material in the windshield construction obviously results in safer motorcycle Operating conditions. The lower edge of the lower windshield member 8 is here shown as having a substantially straight lower edge to approximately register with the brace bar 5, but said edge may be suitably recessed or otherwise shaped to fit over the upper longitudinal members of the motorcycle frame, or over other parts of the motorcycle, in a manner that will permit the turning movement of the handlebar i for steering purposes. Such lower shield section 8 may be of clear, flexible, transparent, light-colored plastic material. The preferred embodiment would utilize a plastic shield of a color substantially difierentfrom the color of upper section 1 to effect an eye-appealing shield. Additionally, use of a properly selected colored plastic for the lower section will shield the motorcycle instrument panel to facilitate the reading of the instruments thereon.

The arched support members 9 and m which serve as the principal supporting portion of the framework structure it are braced by a utility bar I which is formed from fairly stifi, but more or less resilient metal material. The utility bar [5 is of shallow Ushaped form and has the end portions of its side legs rigidly secured to the curved midsection of the arched members 9 and i9, substantially as shown inFig. 1. The free end portions of'the said side legs are threaded 'and passed through suitable openings in the bars 9 and It and the intervening margins of the shield members i and 8. A cap nut on the end portions of the leg outside of the member it) (like the cap nut !2, Fig. 4) efiecta'secured and rigid-mounting for the bar, which cooperates with an inner nut 56 on each leg portion, to secure the memhers I, 9, 9 and H? tightly together at points intermediate said fastenings H and to fasten the utility bar i5 as aforesaid. This chord-likebrace for the arched members 9 and i9 resists'inward flexing of the central portions of said members 9 and H] by the air forces encountered by the shield in movement of the vehicle. The employment of a pair of arched support members 9 and H3 in a laminated arrangement imparts considerable strength to the principal supporting mem effective as a material strengthening member for the pair in a manner "which will not impair the range of visibility of the vehicle operator.

The bar H3, in addition'to its action as abracing member, has been 'ada'pted'for use as a utility bar. The inwardly extending angled'arms I 5a of the bar cause the principal bar length b to be spaced from the outwardly curved arched support members 9 and It, whereby such length may be adapted for the holdingof items such as road maps, gloves and other similar articles for con venient access thereto.

The inner support member 9 has a pair-of bosses l'i near its opposite ends, each of said bosses beingsuitably drilled-to receive amounting rod 18 therein. Mounting rods I8 have upper end portions threaded andthese portions are inserted into the openings in the portions of the threaded segment of the rod etxending through and upwardly so that threaded portions-extend above and below the upper and lower surfaces of the bosses ll. Anupwardly-extending, arched bracing rod IQ for supportingrthe windshield up.- per segment i is mounted on the upper-end portions of said rods 19. is fashioned from a somewhat resilient material to conform approximately to the-outer perimeter The upper bracing rod I9.

. 4 of the shield. The upper bracing rod I9, when so bent, is attached to the threaded portion of the upwardly extending threaded ends of mounting rods l8 by a pair of specially designed hexagonal cap nuts 28. The ends 2| of the arched rod l9 pass through the central portions of the hexagonal cap nuts 29', and are flared, as shown at 2|, whereby the securing of the cap nuts 29 to the mounting rods 18 will cause the lower surface of the flared ends 2| to engage the upper end of the mounting rod l8, and the upper surface of the flared end 2! to engage the inner and upper end surface of the cap nut 29, whereby the rod I9 is securely clamped to the supporting rods and maintained, in-asubstantially fixed position. The upper brace 19 is so formed that alignment of its end portion with the respective rods It will require compression of the side portions of the brace toward each other. Since the brace is made of resilient material, the resulting expansive force in the brace will serve to-cause thefend portions of the brace to seat tightly against the nuts =29. The brace is thereby held against'rattling and the nuts against loosening. notwithstanding the shocks and vibrations to which 'apparatusof this type is continually subjected.

A lower, U-shaped brace 22, which is utilized as a supporting member for the lower segment '8 of the windshield structure, comprises a drawn steel wire rod of medium gauge imiterial which is bent to an approximately U -shape, :and comprises a base 23 which is slightly longer than the distance between the upper portions o f the mounting rods 18 seated inthebosses l1, =and=a' pair of arms 24 which are approximately'one half the length of the lower windshield segment 8. The upper ends of each of the arms 24 are bent to provide eyes 25' surrounding the supporting rod portion immediately under the said bosses',- as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6. The eyes25 are clamped against the bosses I! by lock nuts 26. The arms 26 and the base 23 are positioned between the lower shieldsection 8 and the mounting rods l8.

The lock nuts 26 are rotativelymounted on the lower threaded portion of the mounting rod 18' and, in their adjustment toward the associatedbosses H, are effective to secure the mounting rods I8 in fixed positions relative-to their associated bosses H, the brace 22 in a fixed position relative to the shield 6 and mounting rods 1 B, andthe upper brace 19 in fixed position relative to the shield part I and the principal support membersj Qandll). Y P It is apparent that air pressure against the shield 6 will'force the bracing element 22 'intocontact with the mounting rods -i8, such pressure component being transmitted to the handlebar structure 5 and principal supporting members 9" and In. The rigidity of the brace rodsfhandle bars and supporting members \vill""oifer 'ak sturdy resistance to the flexing of the lmver windshield segment '8. It is important to ncte that-th'e bracing members, which are individually strong ithat is the upper and lower rod-likebra'ces' l9 and 22-- and the pair oflprin'cipalzarched supporting members v9 and It reinforced by the utility barf 1.15, in. combination, eifectan entire framework structure of increased rigidity and strength. More over, the. narrow dimensionsand arrangementiof these sturdy .members in thewindshield frame Work insures a minimum amount of interference. with the drivers. rangeof vision, and, therefore, a windshield which is extremely safe ;in;.use.: I T lower n o e. m uz in rq sellainess through openings positionedn'ear the outer ends of a pair of cylindrical members 21 and 23, which are cooperatively assembled with the upper flanges 30 of a clamp structure 29, the outer cylindrical or cap member 2'! of the assembly being slidably mounted about the inner cylindrical member 28. Cylindrical member 21 is secured to the upwardly projecting ears 36 of the clamp structure 29 by conventional bolt means 3| inserted within a drilled and threaded bore located on the inner end of the cylinder 28. The clamp structure 2% is adapted to be secured to any tubular frame element such as the brace member 5 or the main portion of the handlebar element 3, and comprises two half-circle segments 31a and 32, which have depending ears or lugs 3G and 33 located at their opposing ends, the lower ears being drawn together by a nut and bolt assembly 34. By screwing the bolt 3| into the inner member 28, said member 28 is moved endwise relative to the cap 21. Lower end portions of the mounting rods l8 which passed through diametrically extending openings in said members 21 and 28, will be tightly gripped between opposite surfaces of the openings in said members.

The mounting rods [8 are provided intermediate their ends, preferably near their upper portions, with angularly disposed offset portions 35 whereby the mounting rods may be rotatably ad- J'usted in the bosses ll so as to position the lower portions of the rods iii to cooperate with the clamps wherever positioned on the handlebar structure within a predetermined range of possible positions. When the mounting rods and clamps are properly adjusted, the clamping lock nuts 26 and the clamping bolts 3! and 34 should be tightened to lock the parts in their adjusted positions.

The improved construction of the cap member 21 insures a more positive friction gri with a larger mounting rod surface. Additionally, the cap-like form of member 2! serves to impart a neat and clean-cut appearance to the clamp. The outer clamp construction eliminates any need for plating or other special finish on the inner member 28.

The material of the individual members comprising the framework structure is such as to insure a structure of increased strength and rigidity, each of the novel supporting members arranged to add its individual strength to the combination framework to provide a windshield arrangement which is a distinct advancement in the art. Additionally, the arrangement and the dimensions of such members have been carefully developed to afford a minimum amount of interference with the operators vision, such arrangement in cooperation with the special glare reducing material used in the windshield, effecting a structure which encourages safer operating conditions. Various features of the invention, believed to be novel, will become more apparent by reference to the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a motorcycle windshield, a transparent curved screen, a central transverse brace conforming to said screen curvature, extending across and secured to the back of said screen adjacent the middle thereof intermediate its top and bottom ends, a pair of bosses respectively carried by and extending rearwardly from said transverse brace near its ends, each of said bosses being vertically bored, mounting rods having upper threaded end portions extending through the bores with a portion of said threaded portion projecting above and below said bores, an arched" rod extending upwardly from said brace with the' end portions of said rod respectively vertically aligned with the upper end portions of said mounting rod, cap nuts disposed on the end portions of said arched rod and threaded on said projecting rod portions to connect said arched rod to said mounting rods, a U-shaped brace depending from said transverse brace and having its ends provided with eyes fitting around said' mounting rods immediately below said bosses, nuts respectively engaged with the threaded portion of the rods located below the bosses and clamping said eyes against said bosses and also serving to pull said cap nuts tightly into engage-' ment with the upper faces of said bosses so as tosecure said mounting rods, said upwardly ex-' tending arched rod, and said depending U-shaped brace to said central transverse brace.

2. In a motorcycle windshield, a transparent curved screen, an arched brace conforming to said screen curvature extending across and secured to the back of said screen adjacent the middle thereof intermediate its top and bottom ends, a pair of bosses carried by said arched brace near its respective ends, each of said bosses being vertically bored, mounting rods having upper end portions extending through the bores in said bosses with a short end portion projecting thereabove, rod means extending upwardly from said bosses in supporting relation to the back of said screen, said rod means having transversely enlarged end portions seated on the upper ends of said projecting portions of said mounting rods, sleeve nuts rotatable about said enlarged. end portions of said rod means and engageable with said enlarged portions to prevent displacement of said nuts from said rod means, said sleeve nuts also having threaded engagement with said projecting portions of said mounting rods to fixedly attach said rod means to said mounting rods, and nuts threaded on said mounting rods and engageable with the lower ends of said bosses for cooperating with said sleeve nuts to clamp said bosses between said nuts, thereby to secure said screen to said mounting rods.

3. In a motorcycle windshield, a transparent, curved screen, arched brace members conforming to said screen curvature and respectively extending across the front and back of said screen adjacent the middle thereof intermediate its top and bottom ends, a plurality of fastening means extending from one of said brace members to the other thereof and through said screen, said fastening means being located at mutually spaced points along the lengths of said braces and serving to clamp said braces together to grip said screen, a pair of mounting rods having upper end portions secured to said brace and depend ing from said brace members for attachment to a motorcycle handlebar structure, and a bar disposed in chord-like relation to the central portion of the arched brace member in back of said screen, the ends of said bar extending through said brace members and being provided with means for clamping said members together to supplement the clamping effect of said fastening means, said bar being operative to strengthen said members against flexing and constituting a support for accessories such as maps, gloves and other articles.

4. In a motorcycle windshield, a flexible, transparent, curved screen comprising upper and lower horizontally arcuate sections respectively having theirlovzer margins innmtuallr oyerlapped 1813131011,:2 transverse bracev having, apair of transverse, hand-like members -jonforming tosaidscreencurvature andresneetively disposed over the front andflback faces of said overlapped screen margins, means extending through said overlapped screen margins interconnecting said bandrlike members to clamp said overlapped soreen margins together in substantially fixed relation, a pair'of mounting rods respectively secured to and depending from spacedtportions of said transverse brace for attachment toa motorcycle handlebar structure, said upper section comprising a material having polarizing charanteristics to decrease the reflected rays ,received therethrough, and said lower section comprising plastic sheet material colored so as toareduce the intensity of light passing therethrough.

fidexencesflited in the .flle of patent 'UNITEDSTAT-ES PATENTS Number Re. 23,039 1,059,948 1,389,787 1,404,807 r 1,532,008 1,604,870 1,729,086

Name Date Comiskey, Sr Sept. 21, 1948 Neberle Apr. 22, 1913 Stanley Sept. 6, 1921 Tait Jan. 13, 1922 Walford Mar. 31, 1925 Asman Oct. 26, 1926 Fremont Sept. 24, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Mar. 3, 1913 "Great Britain Dec. 8,1927 

